Jeera Rice

Items needed:

Cumin seeds/ Jeera - 2 tbsp's
Rice  - 1 cup
Coriander/Cilantro leaves - 1/4 th of a bunch
Green Chilli's - 2- sliced - vertically- very thin
Salt - as needed
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onions - 1/4 th cup cut into small pieces.
White pepper - 1 tbsp. (can be varied as per taste)
Cashews - few/as needed (optional)

Method:

• Cook rice with 1.5 cup water. Pre-soak rice for half an hour prior to cooking.
• Fluff the rice with fork, keep aside.
• In a nonstick frying pan, add oil.
• After oil gets hot, add onions, green chilli's, coriander leaves (half) and fry them.
• During half way of frying, add cumin seeds and cashews. Fry until cumin seeds color turns slightly darker.
• Add fluffed rice, white pepper and salt.
• Mix the contents well and fry for 3-5 mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Yummy jeera rice is ready..goes well with daal thadka.

Spicy Vegetable Biryani

Vegetables needed:

Cauliflower florets; Broccoli florets; Potatoes sliced in cubes; Capsicum cut into pieces; Carrots cut in small pieces.
Vegetables altogether - 3 cups

Rice:

Basmati rice - 2.5 cups
Water - 1.5 cup water/1 cup rice
Soak basmati rice for at least half an hour prior to cooking.

Masala's needed:

Any biryani masala - 50 gms.
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp.
Chilli powder -as needed.

Nuts:
Cashews- 1/2 cup (use half with vegetables to marinate),1/2 cup - fried (to decorate)

Raisins- 2 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp...varies*
Salt- as needed
yogurt - 1 cup


Method

• Cook rice (Add 1 tbsp oil while cooking), keep it aside.
• Microwave all vegetables for 6mins (vegetables must be half boiled).
• Marinate all vegetables by mixing ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder, cashews and yogurt. Let it stand for 20 mins.
• In a non stick vessel, add 2 tbsp's oil.
• After oil gets hot, add sliced onions, fry until their color turns gold.
• Add marinated vegetables as it is, to it add biryani masala, salt and chilli powder.
• Let the mix boil for about 15 mins.
• Meanwhile fluff cooked rice wit fork  and spread in a baking bowl in a layer.
• Spread cooked biryani masala on top of rice layer, use half of raisins to spread on masala.
• Top the masala layer with remaining rice, spread remaining cashews and raisins.
• Bake it for 35 mins in oven at 350F.
• Spicy biryani is ready.

Variations:
Can add saffron in rice while cooking.